<h4>Chapter 60: Sword Bestowment Ceremony (3)</h4>


    The Sword Bestowment Ceremony continued smoothly with no disruptions. With over eighty participants this year, amodating all of them would be a long day. And since Leon and Amon were the final two to step onto the field, theyzily waited their turn while observing each participant''s sword.


    Firstly, not a single Fabled-grade hade out even though over ten participants had stood on the pedestal. While each Unique-grade they got was top of their ss, it was still disappointing that none had pulled a Fabled-grade yet.


    Some spectators were even wondering if this year''s talent had dipped, and were mentally preparing themselves for a disappointing year.


    But as the next participant walked up to the elevated tform, their eyes sparkled with added interest.


    "Oh?! It''s Adelia''s turn!"


    Leon eximed loud enough to drag Amon''s wavering attention back to the centre of the stage. Like most participants, the young cadet got onto the tform with shifty eyes and shaky legs. The nervousness was palpable, and even though Amon was dozens of metres away, he could sense Adelia''s anxiety.


    However, Amon knew that the girl had no reason to worry. Unlike the weaklings before her, she was a major supporting character in [Bright]. Amon knew very well which sword she would get from the ceremony, which would easily make the other Knights jealous.


    "You may begin!"


    Alrock ordered this time with a little less forcefulness. After expressing himself over ten times, the Sris Lord was tired of repeating himself. Especially since there hasn''t been a single person who pulled a Fabled-grade sword or higher.


    Fortunately, that was about to change...


    Light spread out from the mana circle like a vast spiderweb as a golden pir erupted from Adelia''s soul. Swords from all over the Sword Garden vibrated wildly and resonated clearly with Adelia''s mana. Ten rapiers flew right in front of the young woman in the blink of an eye and levitated clearly within her line of sight. The change in the spectators'' expressions was visible as their fatigued and weary eyes burned brightly with joy and excitement.


    As for the person in question... she was shellshocked.


    "Ten swords?! And all of them are rapiers! She must have an affinity with that type of weapon!"


    "Not just that, there''s three Fabled-grades! Goodness, we haven''t seen a single Fabled-grade so far, and she pulled three?! Who''s that girl?!"


    Noise from the crowd gave the audience a little information about the incredible feat Adelia just performed.


    Many were questioning who was this hidden talent, and even those who knew Adelia didn''t know how to react. Though, Leon quickly came to his senses, unveiling a dazzlingly bright smile.


    "Amazing! Three Fabled-grades! I knew that Adelia could do it!"


    "How envious... I wonder which one she would choose?"


    Arya supplemented Leon''s joy with her own query. Having more choices wasn''t necessarily a good thing. If one had too many choices, they may second guess themselves and choose a sword that didn''t suit them perfectly. Luckily for Adelia, she didn''t have that problem.


    Even though there were three Fabled-grades, only one stood out to the young cadet. A rapier made of pure silver with an ornate guard designed like a Sun. It was sleek and slender, yet it retained the properties of a sturdy de, never breaking no matter how much one ced pressure on it.


    It was perfect for her fighting style. Adaptive yet firm.


    "This one."


    Alrock didn''t even need to prompt Adelia to make her choice. Without hesitation, she reached for the silver rapier and held it close to her chest. The Sris Lord looked at the de for a good minute before smiling warmly.


    "Argent Sun, a rapier made into Fable by the Argent Dancer. A Sris Knight who died thirty years ago, the Argent Dancer was one of the best female swordmasters of her time. It''s a fine Fabled-grade sword that would serve you well."


    "Thank you, Your Excellency!"


    Adelia couldn''t hide her happiness and blushed furiously with excitement. Unlike some of the other Fabled-grades in the Sword Garden, the Argent Sun was owned by a Knight who had lived in recent years. This meant the de''s achievements were still fresh in everyone''s memory. In fact, the reason why Alrock could recall this sword off the top of his head was because he had once trained under the Argent Dancer.


    Seeing it passed down to the next generation gave the Sris Lord mixed emotions, but he couldn''t be happier to see the rapier''s radiance again.


    "Next, Gale Sris!"


    Gale walked past his childhood friend, and they shared a knowing nce. Adelia''s golden eyes sparkled as if challenging her friend to do better than her. Triggered by her newfound arrogance, the cadet puffed his chest out and rose to the pedestal with added vigour.


    "You may begin!"


    Alrock repeated the exact words, but this time, his vitality returned, and his voice boomed like a thunderbolt. Gale wasted no time and threw away all his anxiety, recing it with determination and hearty pride.


    Mana flowed out from his body and lit up the magic circle. The Sword Garden replied to his calls with multiple shaking swords, each eager to answer Gale''s summons. However, they all backed out at thest minute. That sudden act confused Alrock for a brief moment, but as he witnessed the next scene, the Sris Lord''s questions were all answered.


    A single sword.


    An azure-coloured Zweih?nder glimmering with the hue of the empyrean sky above. The sword was easily as long as Gale was tall, making each swing of the massive de an arduous task. However, Gale''s thick and powerful frame made it possible to handle the Zweih?nder with ease.


    Although there was only one sword for him to choose, Gale didn''t feel disappointed. With each passing second, he felt a growing affection and connection to the blue sword that chose him. It was as if no other sword could fit him that perfectly.


    As he grabbed onto its hilt, blue mes erupted from the young cadet''s body, searing off his top in milliseconds. The blue fire moved as if it had a mind of its own, careful not to harm Gale''s body while affectionately licking his toned and muscr body. Bit by bit, Gale absorbed the rampaging fires and resonated with the de in his hands.


    And as the dust settled, the world became boisterous.


    "This is..."


    "Another Fabled-grade!!!"


    "Who is that boy?! How did he get that sword?!"


    The crowd burst into a bustlingmotion. Right after their first Fabled-grade, the next participant also pulled the same grade!


    "Your Excellency, what is..."


    "Blue Tempest," Alrock answered Gale before he could ask the question. "Young''un, you... Did youe from the Ruined Sun line?"


    "... yes."


    "I see..." The Sris Lord pped his forehead with a bitter smile. "To think that the Blue Tempest would be returned to your lineage. Perhaps it''s fitting."


    "Your Excellency, I..."


    "No need to say anything. Congrattions, this Blue Tempest is tailor-made for you. You''ll make a fine Knight... and I look forward to your future."


    "Th-thank you..."


    There were many hidden implications with Alrock''s words, but Gale chose to ignore them. He was delighted to obtain a sword he could call his own and sent a cryptic smile back to his childhood friend, who was seething from the teeth.


    "They sure do get along," Arya joked.


    "Perhaps they would even get married soon!" Leon joined in the fun.


    ''If they heard you two, they''ll probably have an aneurysm...''


    Amon thought to himself and didn''t retort. Gale and Adelia were both important characters in [Bright], so it made sense that they were fated to obtain powerful weapons. In the future, they would leverage their newfound powers to aid Leon in repelling the Demon Cult. Gale, in particr, his Fabled-grade Zweih?nder, would y an important role in the next Great Demon War.


    However, for now, they were just young cadets who had just gotten their swords. It would take a long time to reach the level depicted in the books.


    "Next!"


    After Gale and Adelia''s shy showing, it was as if the floodgates had opened up. While most participants only managed to summon Unique-grades, a handful started to obtain Fabled-grades. Talented cadets from the Knight''s Academy whose names were rtively known,missioned Knights who had joined notable Orders, and even some hidden gems that no one knew about.


    In no time at all, of the sixty participants that were called, over a dozen of them had gotten Fabled-grade swords. That means one in five participants managed to call a Fabled-grade, making it one of the most sessful years in recent memory.


    "So many Fabled-grades! We''re blessed this year!"


    "It''s a pity that we have yet to see a Legendary-grade, though!"


    "Don''t worry, it''s not over yet! Both of the Lord''s grandchildren haven''t stepped up yet!"


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Don''t forget Amon! He''s surely going to get at least a Legendary-grade!"


    Even though a few hours had passed, the excitement in the audience was still electric. They were eagerly anticipating the next participant, hoping that they would get to continue with the show. And the next one wasn''t going to disappoint.


    "Next! Arya Sris!"


    "Y-Yes!"


    Arya instantly got up and approached the tform. However, before she made her way up, she nced over her shoulder and locked eyes with her brother onest time. Amon blinked twice and gave her an affirmative smile. That was all the sixteen-year-old needed to calm her nerves to face the challenge head-on.


    Walking onto the elevated stage, Arya took one deep breath and followed the instructions ordingly. Channelling her mana through the magic circle, she mustered up her willpower and yearned earnestly for a good result. And fortunately...


    A pir of light shot to the sky, drawing in seven swords with a maic allure. For the first time today, none of the swords Arya summoned were Unique-grade, only Fabled. They were all shining with increasing intensity, each showing their unique allure. Like children trying to coddle up to their parents, the swords glimmered brightly as if appealing themselves to Arya, hoping that she would pick them over the rest.


    "Seven Fabled-grades?! Who''s that girl?!"


    "Arya... She''s Amon''s sister and also one of the flowers of the Academy!"


    "Hoh... I guess the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree!"


    The audience was buzzing, eternally grateful that they could witness the rise of a new talent. Arya''s friends and family were equally stunned, but they cheered loudly for her. However, the one who was most surprised by the turn of events was none other than Amon himself.


    ''Arya... I don''t remember her being a significant figure in [Bright]... Has her future changed because of my training?''


    Amon has read [Bright] cover to cover multiple times, and nowhere in the book did it mention the character Arya. So, he''d naturally assumed that she was one of the many extras in the book and didn''t think she would perform well in the Sword Bestowment Ceremony.


    However, gaining the recognition of seven Fabled-grades was a testament to her soaring talents.


    ''Still, it isn''t bad if she bes stronger.''


    While Amon was averse to deviations as it could make the future unpredictable, this deviation was one he weed with open arms. There would be many times in the future when he wouldn''t be able to protect Arya or his family. So, making them stronger was of paramount importance.


    Unlike the others, Arya wasn''t certain about which sword to choose. There wasn''t an instinctive maic draw to either of the swords, and her mind was still in shock. However, the young teen quickly regained her wits and carefully observed every Fabled-grade sword before her eyes.


    All of them had their individual charms, and Arya was certain she wouldn''t go wrong with either she chose.


    But in the end, she remained undecided.


    ''Eh, what the hell!''


    Unable toe to a decision, Arya opted to let the swords decide. She raised her hand and mustered all her mana onto her fingertips. With a subtle roar, Arya closed her eyes and willed for the swords toe to her.


    As she opened her eyes five secondster... a beautiful white-gold hilt with a silvery de rested within her palm. It was an ornately designed estoc, seemingly used for ceremonial purposes rather thanbat. But even so, its ferocity couldn''t be denied. From the pressure it emits, anyone could tell it was blessed with a fable.


    "Such a beautiful sword... It seems to be owned by one of our ancestors..."


    While Alrock had seen all kinds of swords throughout his years as the Sris Lord, it was impossible for him to know every de in Sword Garden. Fortunately, in this ever-expanding vault, there was one entity that did.


    "Lightbane."


    The Custodian appeared from seemingly nowhere and stood next to the tform. Its fish eyes were sparkling with great interest as it carefully observed the gilded estoc.


    "A sword from the first generation of heroes... Although it''s only a Fabled-grade, it was wielded by a master swordsman with Idrytis during the Great Dragon War. It has been hibernating ever since. To think that it would make its appearance now... How fascinating..."


    The ethereal creature monologued to itself while giving key information about the sword away.


    "It was from the same generation as the Sris Founder?! No wonder I didn''t recognise it!"


    Alrock was in utter shock. For a sword of this calibre to appear, it could either be an auspicious or ominous sign. Nevertheless, it didn''t matter to Arya.


    "It''s a good sword, suited for a swordsman focusing on speed and agility. It will serve you well, child."


    "T-Thank you!"


    Arya couldn''t get over the fact that a strange creature was the guardian of the vault and shivered when talking to it. Mellowly retreating from centre stage, Arya pivoted her heels and walked briskly back to safety, where her brother was.


    Strangely enough, the Custodian remained standing right where Alrock was. Given that it was standingpletely still with a serene expression, the Sris Lord raised his eyebrows and asked.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "No," the Custodian shook its head. "This year''s participants seem... unusually peculiar. I would like to witness the ceremony to the end if you don''t mind."


    "... sure."


    While confused, there was no reason for Alrock to reject the Custodian''s offer. Taking a split second to gather himself, he continued with the Sword Bestowment Ceremony.


    "Next!"